the believers
by maliousdei
Summary: gaara has started high school in konoha and immediately met his friend and band mate, naruto uzumaki. now they are trying to build new friendships, a new band, and maybe new relationships. what will happen? pairings are obvious.


Konoha High: The Believers

Disclaimer: the following is a fan based story. I claim no rights to Naruto or the songs listed. Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo. The songs listed in this story belong to their owners. Please support the official release.

**Flashback**

_Thought_

Chapter 1: secret audience

Konoha high, the final frontier for the children of Konoha before they become adults. To the surface, it's a typical boarding school, but on the inside, an entire world exists where every student tries their best in order to become the cream of the crop, a.k.a, the next Hokage. (The title of the dean of the school. Please go with it).

The title is given away every four years to a student or a teacher who seems worthy of the title and whoever earns the title there by gains total control over the school and a major say in village law decisions. Naturally, many students would want that kind of power and would work hard for it. However, in the entire history of the school, only one student has ever earn that title. His name was Minato Namikaze. He was one of the better Hokages of the school. 15 years ago however, he and his wife, Kushina uzumaki, met a tragic end at sea. That event left their only son, Naruto, living alone at the school. He was forced to take his mother's maiden name in order to avoid confrontation from his father's competition.

Some kids are really desperate in order to be the best around the school. Even to the point of turning on their own friends just to get ahead. Some even try to crush the spirits of people in the school. Tsunade, the current Hokage, calls it, "Healthy competition." At the end of the day, it's all about business.

Today, a new student joins the schools "loving family." He is aware of how the school is, thanks to inside tips from his siblings and best friend. His name is Gaara no Sabaku. He hopes he can makes friends, despite the dumb competition. At the same time, however, he hope he can win the competition in order to change things in the village for better and to finally get respect.

At first glance, you would probably think that Gaara is a mean kid, due to his eye make-up, his red and black dress code, and his ever emotionless expression. But underneath all of that, he is a gentleman with a heart of gold who has been ostracized all of his life along with best friend, Naruto Uzumaki. Other than Tsunade, her husband Jiraiya, and his siblings Kankuro and Temari, he is the only one who knows Naruto's true identity.

To the Impartial observers

"Looks like another lamb is heading for the slaughter this year." Said by one student with a duck-butt hair style.

"He's kinda cute." Said a brown short-haired girl. '_He might be cool_.'

"I hope he doesn't take a long time to crack, then things will turn ugly." Said by a blond girl with a long pony tail.

"Maybe he is the type that never cracks, like the dobe." Said by a boy with long black hair and no pupils.

"Everyone cracks, Neji. But I don't know how long it will take to crack him or that baka." Said by the pink cotton candy hair colored girl.

"We should probably do it quickly before he can attack us." Said by the girl that a hair style like the top of a mouses head. They all nodded at this and decided to watch Gaara carefully. Gaara, of course, noticed that he was being watched. He then walked up to a mopping janitor with spiky blond hair and asked him a question.

To Gaara

"Do you know where the administration office is?"

"Yeah, you want to go all the way down that hall and make a right." The janitor turned around to face the young man who was talking him only to realize that it was his friend and vise versa.

"Gaara!?" "Naruto!?"

The both wanted to say the next thing, but Gaara beat Naruto to the punch.

"Why are you dressed up like a janitor?" He asked.

"That's because I am a janitor." Naruto replied. Gaara had a confused look on his face thanks to Naruto's explanation, so he decided to elaborate.

"I have this job so I can help pay for my tuition, living expenses, and other stuff. Tsunade-Baachan says I don't have to pay for anything, but I don't feel comfortable thinking that I am such a charity case. Also, working for the Hokage does pay considerably well compared to other jobs." Naruto said that as if it was nothing to him, but he is also aware of how that makes him look. But he doesn't care.

"Don't you have like billions of ryo from your inheritance?" Gaara asked.

"I do, but I won't see a ryo of that money till I turn eighteen. Until then, I am one of the only students in this school who has a job." Naruto said with pride.

"I have to say, I admire your ability to work hard and still being able to work in school." Gaara said.

"I get that a lot, but thanks man." Naruto said as some boys threw an empty bag of chips and an empty box of instant ramen on the floor.

"Yo trash boy, why don't you clean that up? Are you laying down on the job?" One replaceable boy said.

"Of course he isn't. Otherwise he would be able to buy those rags he calls clothes. Later baka." Another boy said and he and his friend walked away laughing.

Naruto bent down to pick up the trash and threw it into the recycling can and then walked back to Gaara.

"I get that a lot too. I'm use to it by now." Naruto said normally.

"Sorry Naruto." Gaara said Sadly.

"Don't be. I'm like this by choice. I'd rather be the victim then being the one inflicting the pain." Naruto said.

"Ya, because I'd rather have you like this. Rather than be like one of those guys over there." Gaara said pointing to the group of students over in the corner. When they noticed Gaara knew they were watching him, they acted naturally.

"I see you noticed the biggest group of power hungry kids in this school. They stick together like that so that none of them will try to kill each other. Let me give you their bios. The girl that looks like a mouse is Tenten. She is a member of the student council, a weapons worshipper, and the daughter of a land lord here in Konoha. The blond chick over there is Ino Yamanaka. She is the captain of the girls swim team and the daughter of a major flower entrepreneur. The brown haired girl is Matsuri. She is a member of the art club, and the heir to a large weapons manufacturing company. The two kids over there are two siblings of the legendary Hyuga trading company, Neji and Hinata Hyuga. Hinata is the next heir and Neji is her assistant. the girl with pink hair is Sakura Haruno. She is the student council vice-president and the daughter of a major hair salon business. She also used to be my friend and my long time crush before she gave me up to be in the popular crowd. Lastly, the boy with the duck butt hair style is Sasuke Uchiha. That teme is the student council president, heir to the Uchiha fortune, a total jackass, and the object of Ino's and Sakura-chan's affections. He's also Sakura-chan's boyfriend. Together they make a team that's even scarier than Konoha's IRS." Naruto seemed to have a firm grip of what goes on in the school, and Gaara knew that things could get ugly without him, but later on he would probably meet up with his sister and brother.

After that great explanation, there was a moment of silence, that was broken by Naruto this time.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in class." Naruto said while offering Gaara his hand. He took it.

"You too." He started to walk away. Until Naruto said.

"Hang out later. Practice in the auditorium. I got permission from Baachan."

"Sure. By the way, we need to find other people to help play." Gaara said.

"I think I can find someone in the music department. Later Gaara."

"Later." Gaara walked away to the administration office and Naruto went to class. Sasuke and the others seemed rather intrigued about Naruto's and Gaara's friendship.

To the Impartial observers

"I can't believe Naruto actually has a friend." Ino said coldly to Sasuke.

'_Naruto's not really so bad, Ino. Maybe I should at least try to talk to him, without my friends around_.' Sakura though while looking down. She apparently regrets the way she treats him but she also feels some hatred towards him for not deciding to still hang out with her.

"It's only natural that outcasts hang out with outcasts. They are of no concern to us, yet." Sasuke said and he and the rest of the group walked up to class.

Time skip. Last period.

Anko's class: science

"Everyone, come up here and pick up you test results, then head back to your desks please." Everyone came up and they all received comments like, "Better luck next time," or "Great job."

"Nice job Sakura-san." Anko handed her test results to her to find out she got a 95.

"Thank you Anko-sensei." Sakura said. '_CHA! I AM NUMBER 1. THOUGH SASUKE-KUN IS PROBABLY BETTER THAN ME, BUT DEFINATLY NOT NARUTO_.' She thought as she went back to her desk.

Naruto came and Anko whispered his results to him, Naruto's expression didn't change, he took his test results, and went back to his desk with Gaara.

"Nicely done, Sasuke. You got the third best grade in the class." Anko said as she handed him his results and he got a 97.

Sasuke turned to face the class a said "Who got a score higher than me!?"

Shikamaru stood up and showed sasuke his results. "I'm number two Sasuke and I got 100 on the test, but that includes the extra credit piece."

Sasuke was on a hunt to see who did better than him, but the quest was short lived when Anko said, "The top scorer has requested to stay secret. So stop prying Sasuke."

The bell rang and a giant sigh of relief came from the entire class.

"Well, see you all tomorrow." Anko said as she walked away.

To Naruto and Gaara

Naruto and Gaara were walking over to the auditorium when Gaara said.

"Who do you think got the highest score on the test? I personally don't care but, what do you think?" Naruto and he handed Gaara his copy of the test. Gaara looked at Naruto in astonishment.

"110. Why didn't you say something in class, Genius?" Gaara said as he slapped Naruto in the back of the head.

"I can handle being called trash boy, but if it gets out that I'm some sort of brainiac, I'll get be labeled as a nerd with no social life." Naruto said. The truth was, outside of his job, school, and other activities, he didn't really have much of a social life due to his less than fortunate circumstances. He then quickly decided to change the subject.

"I found another guy to jam with us. His name is Kiba, I'll think you'll like him." Naruto said with his famous fox grin.

"When will I meet him?"

"He's actually over there."

Kiba was waiting over by the entrance to the auditorium looking for his new friends. He had the same kind of hair-style as Naruto but his was a little more subtle and his hair color was brown. His build was normal, and he looked like he was hiding something in his shirt. Naruto and Gaara both noticed this and they walked over to him.

"Kiba Inuzuka, all me to introduce my friend, Gaara no Sabaku." naruto said.

"Nice to meet you Gaara." Kiba offered Gaara his hand and he was about to take it, until something in his shirt popped up and kiba used that hand in order to keep it from coming out of his shirt, but it came out from under his shirt. It was… a dog. A dog?

"What's with the dog?" Gaara asked. Kiba picked him up and hid him back into his shirt.

"His name is Akamaru. The dorms don't allow pets, but I couldn't leave him at home. Please don't tell anyone." Kiba whispered to Naruto and Gaara.

"Don't worry, man. Your secret's safe with us, right Gaara?" Naruto said and Gaara nodded.

"Great. Now lets do this thing." Kiba said and he opened the door to the auditorium. They all walked in and they each went to an instrument on the stage. Each instrument had a microphone near it and they were all already plugged in to an amplifier. Naruto grabbed the guitar, Gaara went to the drums, and kiba went to the bass. He said he could also play guitar if he needed to. Naruto and Gaara nodded back to him.

"Yo Kiba, you know 'never too late?'" Naruto asked and Kiba nodded.

They then prepared to start play the song.

To outside the auditorium

Sakura, Hinata, and Matsuri were all walking back to their dorm room when sakura started to hear a noise coming from the auditorium and then stopped.

"Did you guys hear that? That sound just now." Sakura said and Hinata and Matsuri just shook their heads. Sakura then put her ear to the door and started to listen, and signaled Hinata and Matsuri to do the same.

"You now, I do hear something. I hear a song playing." Hinata said.

"It's 'never too late.' I love that song. Open the door, quietly." Matsuri told Sakura and she quietly opened the door and she ran in with her friends. The guys didn't notice until the door slammed shut. They then stopped.

"Did you guys hear that?" Gaara asked.

"Must have been the wind. Lets start again." Kiba said. Naruto and Gaara nodded. The girls looked up to see who was playing. When they saw who they were, they shot their heads down and started to whisper to each other.

"Since when could these guys play instruments?" Matsuri asked.

"They're probably not that good." Hinata said.

"Let's find out." Sakura said and they turned to listen to the guys play.

'This world will never be what I expected

and if I don't belong who would've guessed it?

I will not leave alone everything that I own

to make you feel like it's not too late, it's never too late.

Even if I say it'll be alright

still I hear you say, you want to end your life.

now when again we try to just stay alive

maybe we'll turn it all around cause it's not too late, it's never too late.

No one will ever see the side reflected

and if there something wrong, who would guessed it?

And I have left alone everything that I own,

to make you feel like it's not too late, it's never to late.

Even if I say it'll be alright,

still I hear you say, you want to end your life.

now when again we try to just stay alive,

maybe we'll turn it all around cause it's not too late, it's never too late.

The world we knew won't come back.

The time we've lost can't get back.

The life we had won't be our again.

This world will never be what I expected,

and if I don't belong…

Even if I say it'll be alright,

still I hear you say, you want to end your life.

now when again we try to just stay alive,

maybe we'll turn it all around cause it's not too late, it's never too late.

maybe we'll turn it all around cause it's not too late, it's never too late.

It's never too late. It's not too late, it's never too late.'

The guys were talking to each other to see how they all could've improved, but the girls didn't see any flaws at all in that performance and they each had something different on their minds.

'_I honestly had no idea Naruto could play guitar or sing. He did a very nice job. Now I definitely gotta talk to him.'_ Sakura thought.

'_Kiba-kun did a great job. I wonder if he lives a rocker's life. If I'm gonna get with him, I gotta bring my A game.' _Hinata thought.

'_Gaara's a musician and cool. I think I'm in love.' Matsuri thought obsessively. They all tried their hardest in order to contain themselves from cheering for their great song. _

"_Dudes, I have to feed Akamaru, so I have to rap up right now. But hey, how about later this weekend?" Kiba said._

"_Cool, but your going to have to help us find more members to add to our band." Naruto said. Kiba responded with a nod and Gaara said,_

"_So what are we going to call the band?" _

_Naruto knew the answer to that question in a heart beat._

"_We'll call ourselves the Believers." _


End file.
